Environment Tasmania
Rudd must reject Garnaut’s low targets
1/10/2008
Media Release
Environment Tasmania is calling on Kevin Rudd to reject Professor Ross Garnaut’s low emissions reduction targets.
“Ross Garnaut yesterday said that a failure of the current generation to effectively address climate change will ‘haunt humanity until the end of time’. The adoption of his recommended and ‘reasonable’ targets of a 5 or 10% reduction by 2020 will guarantee that Australia will see catastrophic environmental changes, such as the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef, the complete collapse of the Murray Darling, and the salination of Kakadu,” said Environment Tasmania spokesperson Simon Branigan.
“Even the higher end 25% reduction by 2050, aimed at stabilising atmospheric carbon dioxide at 450ppm, will mean we face dangerous climate change,” Simon Branigan said.
“This report is deeply contradictory – it details the catastrophic damage to our economy and environment that will result from an inadequate response to climate change, while advocating for emissions cuts that will guarantee that we see that damage occuring,” Simon Branigan said.
“It is time for the federal government to take action on climate change that will genuinely address the problem. The science is clear. To commit the planet to runaway climate change because the government thinks it is too difficult to deal with shows a clear lack of leadership. When future generations ask why they have inherited a broken planet, they deserve a better answer than images of Ross Garnaut and Kevin Rudd throwing their hands in the air,” Simon Branigan said.
Environment Tasmania recently signed onto a letter from 49 climate action and environmental advocacy groups asking Professor Garnaut to consider targets in the 300-350 ppm range, and to advocate for strong action from Australia regardless of international agreements (letter attached as PDF).
Simon Branigan, Deputy Chairperson, Environment Tasmania
Tasmania’s Conservation Council
GPO BOX 1073, Hobart 7001
